Awful Sorry
by DeMoKa
Summary: Love hurts. Even River isn't immune to unrequited love. Beware the angst. River/ Inara , Inara/Kaylee


**An angsty piece. I hope it's at least a cathartic read. **

River is filled with bliss. Blissfully filled with happiness, she is. She told Simon about her bliss. He asked her what her bliss was and then fainted from shock. River laughed as she watched her older brother keel over unconscious; however she didn't quite understand why he did that in the first place.

When Mal found her still giggling over Simon's prostrate form, he enquired to the goings on in his ship. 'Simon was knocked over by joy,' explained River.

'And what exactly is this joy we're discussing here?' asked Mal quite lost.

'Inara,' came the simple reply.

Mal blanched for a moment, not sure whether to be annoyed or wary, 'Er… Is this _his_ joy?'

'MY joy, Captain Daddy. I love her and she loves me. My joy!' exclaimed River.

Mal didn't need any translation for this revelation. River watched curiously as his eyes widened and then blinked a multitude so that she was, at one moment, scared of his eye lashes flying off his face. 'Uh… River, you do know what 'Nara does for a living, right?' ventured Mal cautiously as he regained his wits.

'That doesn't matter Captain Daddy, I belong to her. They don't. They are merely business,' explained River, bouncing on the soles of her feet.

Mal threaded a hand through his crop of hair multiple times before swallowing his pride and cautioning another question towards his young albatross, 'How do you know this exactly, River?'

'The deed was done, the deed is done, the deed will be done. Forever and always. Nothing in the 'verse can stop me. Nothing,' replied River, promptly turning to run to Inara's shuttle.

Mal grimaced, knowing full well what was going on behind the doors of Inara's shuttle. He knew the reason she turned him down. How he knew is from what Kaylee showed him. She showed him a full on kiss between her and Inara. He wondered how on earth River managed to get the idea that Inara loved her in that way. Mal's face suddenly darkened. How dare Inara allow River to believe such a thing? How dare she let their Little Albatross get so excited only to be doomed to disappointment? He started to walk towards Inara's shuttle, but thought better of it, 'Awful sorry Little Albatross. You're going to have to learn the hard way.'

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Kaylee moaned at the feel of Inara's fingers trailing through her hair, rolling her head with the Companion's motions. Inara kissed the top of her head, only to be engaged in a deeper kiss when Kaylee turned her head.

'I did not mean to interrupt transmission,' said a small voice.

They turned to see a dejected River. River's eyes were focused on Inara's hands and their current location, on Kaylee's backside.

'River, honey…' began Inara.

River shook her head violently, 'It does not compute. Captain Daddy's instructions were very clear… but there was hope… I had hoped… my flower?'

Kaylee scooted out of Inara's embrace, not entirely sure what River was going on about. She never was sure. She flinched at River's sudden gaze on her. River's face became even more pained, 'I would never hurt you Kaylee.'

'Oh River, I'm sorry,' breathed Kaylee, feeling extremely guilty.

'Apologise to my brother. It does not compute. The sun appeared to be alive but was in fact stabbed by the stars and the moon took over,' muttered River, no longer looking at either one of them.

Inara went to hold River, but River leapt backwards out of her reach and out of the shuttle, landing just next to the wall in the corridor. 'Hedgehogs can't live with others. It is too dangerous,' concluded River, running away.

Inara let out a single sob. Kaylee touched her shoulder gently. Inara patted it absently.

'I never meant to hurt her. I didn't think she'd go so far as to think…' Inara trailed off, unable to continue.

'Well, it's not like you two did anything, right? River is just young and idealistic. She has to learn that, she can't just assume things right?' Kaylee was annoyed, but understood the confusions of love.

Inara had closed her eyes when she realised that Kaylee had believed that she hadn't engaged in intimate relations with River. In fact Inara had done so, as a present to River, for her coming of age. It had been a terrible decision. Inara was awful sorry she had ever thought it would be a suitable gift. Her talents had just cost her another relationship.

Inara inhaled deeply, 'Yes, but I should have been more careful. I should have realise that appealing to her intellect would set off some flights of fancy. I just didn't think it was right for her to put up with Mal's simple thoughts and I'm sure River doesn't always want to converse with her brother. Goodness knows Simon doesn't quite pay attention to half the things she says.'

Kaylee frowned, not sure at all what to do. She didn't like the fact that River was hurt, but she didn't at all like the fact that Inara was now troubled. It wasn't right for her lover to be sad.

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Mal sighed heavily as he heard River racing through the corridors. He grimaced as he even heard her slamming the door to her room shut. Zoe strode into the kitchen, 'Was that River?'

Mal only nodded in ascent.

'I'd better check on her,' said Zoe.

'No! I mean, just let her be for now, 'kay?' said Mal, eyes pleading Zoe.

Zoe frowned, but nodded, obeying and believing in his judgement.

Mal waited until night, when most of the crew would asleep or at least in their bunks, before he headed off to Inara's shuttle. He knocked softly. Inara opened the door and was genuinely shocked at Mal's presence.

'Mal…' began Inara, before being promptly cut off by a wave of Mal's hand.

'As soon as we hit planetside, I want you off my ship. Not forever, but for a while. You can keep the shuttle for this length of time of course, but I want you off the ship,' said Mal in a dangerously quiet voice.

Inara shook her head, 'Where is this coming from?'

'I can't go and let you hurt my crew and get away with it, now can I?' replied Mal.

Inara was stunned. She understood and nodded regretfully.

'Tell her I'm sorry,' she whispered.

'Tell her yourself!' snapped Mal.

Inara nodded again, utterly ashamed. Mal lost his anger after he looked at her again. Her shoulders were hunched and she was hugging herself. She was not recognisable. Mal sighed again and scratched his head, 'Just promise it's for real with Kaylee, else I'll definitely have to kick you off my ship.'

'I promise.'

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River rocked herself to sleep, singing softly.

'We'll begin with a spin  
Trav'ling in the world of my creation  
What we'll see will defy  
Explanation'

**THE END**

**The lyric is from the song Pure Imagination. Gene Wilder sings it in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), however I was thinking of the Maroon 5's cover when I put it there. Please review, much appreciated. **


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